Billionaire investor Sam Zell said the U.S. economy could go into a recession in the next year and that the Federal Reserve interest-rate increase is coming at least six months too late.
The central bank has been too cautious and the economy would already be adjusting if it raised rates six to nine months ago, giving Chair Janet Yellen “more room if a recession is on the way,” Zell said Wednesday in an interview on Bloomberg Television. Multinational companies are laying off workers, global trade is slowing and there’s a possibility China’s economy will falter, he said.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Fager’s Island, Seacrets To Temporarily Close Next Month For Winter Projects
Seacrets will close its doors on Jan. 3 for approximately six weeks as it will literally be raising the road on 49th Street almost three feet to combat frequent flooding that has historically occurred during heavy rain events in front of the main entrance.
“It’s the first time in our history [since 1988] that we will be closed for this long,” said Seacrets owner Leighton Moore. “Five or six weeks is a long time, but the fact that we are doing the distillery project, coupled with the time of year, we thought it was the right time to do them together.”
Seacrets’ new three-story, 12,000-square-foot distillery broke ground in late October and is scheduled to open in the spring, but Moore says it wouldn’t make sense to construct the distillery without fixing the flooding issues that occur in front of the main entrance of the bayfront establishment.
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ABC/Wash Post Poll: Most Americans Oppose Assault Weapons Ban
A majority of Americans – 53 percent – oppose banning the sale of assault weapons, according to the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll.
The poll also shows most Americans don't have confidence that the government has the ability to prevent lone wolf terrorist attacks.
Oppose a ban: 53 percent
Support a ban: 45 percent
The 45 percent who now favor a ban on the sale of assault-style weapons is down 11 percent from the last time the poll was taken in 2013. Support has steadily dropped, except for a slight uptick in 2011, since a record 80 percent favored a ban in 1994.
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The poll also shows most Americans don't have confidence that the government has the ability to prevent lone wolf terrorist attacks.
Oppose a ban: 53 percent
Support a ban: 45 percent
The 45 percent who now favor a ban on the sale of assault-style weapons is down 11 percent from the last time the poll was taken in 2013. Support has steadily dropped, except for a slight uptick in 2011, since a record 80 percent favored a ban in 1994.
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More Newspapers Shutting Down
The Valley Independent in Monessen and The Daily News in McKeesport PA will shut down on Dec. 31
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Trib Total Media is closing two of its western Pennsylvania newspapers after failing to sell them, leaving 87 employees out of work.
The company says in a statement Wednesday that The Valley Independent in Monessen and The Daily News in McKeesport will shut down on Dec. 31.
Jennifer Bertetto, the company's president and CEO, says they've been trying to sell the papers since August but "nothing ever came to fruition."
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PITTSBURGH (AP) — Trib Total Media is closing two of its western Pennsylvania newspapers after failing to sell them, leaving 87 employees out of work.
The company says in a statement Wednesday that The Valley Independent in Monessen and The Daily News in McKeesport will shut down on Dec. 31.
Jennifer Bertetto, the company's president and CEO, says they've been trying to sell the papers since August but "nothing ever came to fruition."
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ICE Brags About Catching 0.0002% of Criminal Aliens
Earlier this month, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) apprehended – wait for it – 0.0002 percent of the criminal illegal aliens currently loose on the streets of the United States. And they want us to be super excited about it.
At a recent congressional hearing, ICE Director Sarah Saldaña testified there were about 179,000 “undocumented criminals with final orders of removal” loose in the United States. The director added between 30,000 and 40,000 of these criminals had been detained at some point, but were released by authorities because of legal restrictions on how long a criminal illegal alien can be held in custody.
But never fear! According to the agency’s website, ICE arrested 39 illegal aliens who’d been convicted on a crime during a large-scale sting operation across West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Delaware between Nov. 30 and Dec. 4. Included among these were 17 individuals arrested in the Philadelphia area, another six caught in Pittsburg, and seven apprehended in Charleston.
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TONIGHT - Guitar Master Johnny A. feat. Bryan Russo!
JOHNNY A. FEATURING BRYAN RUSSO
Thursday, December 17
Johnny A. is one of the most sought after guitar players in the world. He has recently joined the world famous band The Yardbirds! Johnny has shared the stage with the best in the business, including B.B. King, Les Paul, George Thorogood, Jeff Beck and J.J. Cale, among others. His talents have even garnered the attention of Gibson Guitars, who released the Johnny A. Signature Series Guitar, which is one of their top-selling signature guitars of all time!
Doors: 7 PM | Show: 8 PM
$20 Admission | 18+ Show
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CITY OF SALISBURY: HOLIDAY ALL POINTS BULLETIN
HOLIDAY ALL POINTS BULLETIN: Over the past few weeks, the city has received multiple complaints of elf-related mischief....
Posted by City of Salisbury, Maryland on Thursday, December 17, 2015
This Saturday At Roadie Joe's
Good will and kindness go a long way.
Good will and kindness go a long way.
Posted by Lunkerville on Monday, December 14, 2015
Congress to Vote on $1.1T Spending Bill
WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives will begin voting Thursday on a colossal trade, giving Democrats a $1.1 trillion spending bill largely free of controversial policy provisions in exchange for a Republican-backed $629 billion package of tax cuts.
Unable to convince enough members to back such a global deal, House leaders will break them into two votes. On Thursday, the House will vote on the tax package, which is likely to pass with almost exclusively Republican votes. On Friday, the spending package will come to the floor needing a majority of Democrats to pass. That way, Republican conservatives can vote against the spending bill, Democratic liberals can vote against the tax bill, and both bills still pass and a government shutdown is averted.
Congressional leaders unveiled the massive package that will keep government funded through September 2016 in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.
The 2,009-page bill abandoned most of the controversial provisions Republicans wanted to add to block President Obama's policies on topics ranging from immigration to wetlands rules to armor-piercing bullets. But it includes a major Republican goal of lifting a 40-year ban on exports of domestic crude oil.
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Unable to convince enough members to back such a global deal, House leaders will break them into two votes. On Thursday, the House will vote on the tax package, which is likely to pass with almost exclusively Republican votes. On Friday, the spending package will come to the floor needing a majority of Democrats to pass. That way, Republican conservatives can vote against the spending bill, Democratic liberals can vote against the tax bill, and both bills still pass and a government shutdown is averted.
Congressional leaders unveiled the massive package that will keep government funded through September 2016 in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.
The 2,009-page bill abandoned most of the controversial provisions Republicans wanted to add to block President Obama's policies on topics ranging from immigration to wetlands rules to armor-piercing bullets. But it includes a major Republican goal of lifting a 40-year ban on exports of domestic crude oil.
More
Blowing Up President Obama on the Theory and Facts of Minimum Wage Hikes
David Neumark – one of today’s most respected and skilled econometricians who studies the employment effects of minimum-wage legislation – has a superb essay in [Wednesday's] Wall Street Journal on the minimum wage. (gated) Among the reasons for the excellence of Neumark’s work is that he is, in addition to being a master econometrician, also an excellent economist. These two disciplines (econometrics and economics), while complementary to each other, are emphatically not the same. Much of what’s wrong with modern-day economics is that people who master econometrics (in part because their degrees are said to be in “economics”) mistake their knowledge of econometrics for knowledge of economics – despite the fact that many of these econometricians know precious little economics. And no amount of mastery of econometrics can compensate for ignorance of economics.
Here’s a slice from Neumark’s essay:
Here’s a slice from Neumark’s essay:
Walmart's Investment in U.S. Workforce Includes $23 million for raises to Maryland associates
Walmart’s two-year, $2.7 billion investment in its U.S. workforce includes $23 million for additional raises to associates in Maryland Investment provides 17,200 additional raises to Walmart workers in the state
BALTIMORE – Walmart is making a $2.7 billion investment over two years in its U.S. workforce to raise wages, provide better training and increase scheduling choice and flexibility. As part of this commitment, the company is investing $23 million, resulting in 17,200 additional raises for associates in Maryland. By February, the new full-time average hourly wage in Maryland will be $12.92 an hour and $10.61 an hour for part-time associates.
Over the past year, Walmart has increased wages in three phases beginning in April by moving its starting rate to at least $9 an hour. In July, the company increased wages for more than 100,000 associates in specialized positions, like wireless or deli associate, and department managers. In February 2016, Walmart will raise wages for associates hired before Jan. 1, 2016 to at least $10 an hour, $2.75 an hour above the federal minimum wage; hourly managers of the company’s more complex and service-oriented departments will earn at least $15 an hour. Associates hired beginning Jan. 1, 2016 will start at $9 and move to at least $10 after successfully completing the company’s new Pathways training program.
The company is starting to see a return on its investments. Since the first phase of pay raises went into effect, Walmart’s customer experience scores and associate engagement numbers have increased. The company also announced during its third quarter earnings that U.S. comp-store sales were positive for the fifth straight quarter and customer traffic was positive for the fourth straight quarter.
Wages are just one part of Walmart’s commitment to providing associates the tools they need to grow with the company and provide great customer service. The company is also opening doors for existing and new associates by increasing scheduling flexibility and providing new training opportunities for continued advancement beyond entry-level jobs. Also, the addition of more than 8,000 new department managers and rolling out a new shelf-stocking program will make it easier for associates to get products on the shelves when customers are shopping.
BALTIMORE – Walmart is making a $2.7 billion investment over two years in its U.S. workforce to raise wages, provide better training and increase scheduling choice and flexibility. As part of this commitment, the company is investing $23 million, resulting in 17,200 additional raises for associates in Maryland. By February, the new full-time average hourly wage in Maryland will be $12.92 an hour and $10.61 an hour for part-time associates.
Over the past year, Walmart has increased wages in three phases beginning in April by moving its starting rate to at least $9 an hour. In July, the company increased wages for more than 100,000 associates in specialized positions, like wireless or deli associate, and department managers. In February 2016, Walmart will raise wages for associates hired before Jan. 1, 2016 to at least $10 an hour, $2.75 an hour above the federal minimum wage; hourly managers of the company’s more complex and service-oriented departments will earn at least $15 an hour. Associates hired beginning Jan. 1, 2016 will start at $9 and move to at least $10 after successfully completing the company’s new Pathways training program.
The company is starting to see a return on its investments. Since the first phase of pay raises went into effect, Walmart’s customer experience scores and associate engagement numbers have increased. The company also announced during its third quarter earnings that U.S. comp-store sales were positive for the fifth straight quarter and customer traffic was positive for the fourth straight quarter.
Wages are just one part of Walmart’s commitment to providing associates the tools they need to grow with the company and provide great customer service. The company is also opening doors for existing and new associates by increasing scheduling flexibility and providing new training opportunities for continued advancement beyond entry-level jobs. Also, the addition of more than 8,000 new department managers and rolling out a new shelf-stocking program will make it easier for associates to get products on the shelves when customers are shopping.
Md. lawmakers call for changes to drunk driving laws in wake of officer’s death
WASHINGTON — A Maryland state senator says an angry police chief’s words over the death of one of his officers are a “wake up call” for lawmakers.
Maryland State Sen. Brian Feldman says residents can expect lawmakers to return to Annapolis to make some changes to drunk driving laws after the death of Montgomery County police officer Noah Leotta.
The 24-year-old officer died last week after he was hit by a car during a traffic stop on Rockville Pike. Montgomery County Police Chief Tom Manger said the driver who hit Leotta had smoked marijuana and been drinking for hours before the crash.
“There’s going to be a lot of discussion on a lot of topics related to drunk driving,” said Feldman.
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Maryland State Sen. Brian Feldman says residents can expect lawmakers to return to Annapolis to make some changes to drunk driving laws after the death of Montgomery County police officer Noah Leotta.
The 24-year-old officer died last week after he was hit by a car during a traffic stop on Rockville Pike. Montgomery County Police Chief Tom Manger said the driver who hit Leotta had smoked marijuana and been drinking for hours before the crash.
“There’s going to be a lot of discussion on a lot of topics related to drunk driving,” said Feldman.
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Most BPA-Free Plastics Still Leach Toxic Chemicals
Many health-conscious consumers have started buying only plastics labeled BPA-free, believing them to be safer than traditional plastics. BPA (or bisphenol-A), a component of epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics, has shown reproductive, developmental, and systemic toxicity in animal studies, and there is growing concern about its impact on vulnerable populations, particularly pregnant women, infants and young children.
The problem is that even BPA-free plastic can leach chemicals with estrogenic activity into your food. According to one study in Environmental Health Perspectives, most plastic products release estrogenic chemicals, including BPA-free options:
"Almost all commercially available plastic products we sampled-independent of the type of resin, product, or retail source-leached chemicals having reliably detectable EA [estrogenic activity], including those advertised as BPA free. In some cases, BPA-free products released chemicals having more EA than did BPA-containing products."
Mother Jones also reported on a study by the lab CertiChem, which tested 50 reusable BPA-free plastic containers, including baby bottles, sippy cups and water bottles.
They, too, found that some of the products leached hormone-altering chemicals even without being exposed to conditions known to increase chemical leaching (like exposure to heat from a dishwasher, microwave or ultraviolet (UV) rays, which are used to sterilize baby bottles). And most of the BPA-free plastics leached chemicals under certain conditions. According to Mother Jones:
"Many of the items ... are advertised as healthy alternatives to plastics containing BPA and the hormone-altering chemicals known as phthalates
... The news isn't all bad, though. CertiChem's study also names several products that are free of estrogenic activity, among them green Nalgene water bottles (the green dye apparently blocks the effects of UV rays) and reusable water bottles from Topas and Zeonor. CertiChem's founder ... cautions that even these products aren't guaranteed to be safe since minor change to the chemical formula can introduce estrogens."
Unfortunately, plastics manufacturers may swap plastics in their products, leading to a less healthy product, without consumers' knowledge; even a tweak to the product's color can alter its toxic potential. So what's the best way to avoid exposure to these dangerous hormone-disrupting chemicals?
Store your food and beverages in glass containers as opposed to plastic and, if there's an option, choose glass jars over plastic containers for your food products (juice, vegetables, beans, etc.). Additionally, avoid plastic toys for children - choose those made from natural materials, such as wood or fabric, instead. Finally, be aware that liquid infant formula sold in cans, as well as many canned foods, may also contain hormone-disrupting chemicals due to the can liners.
CancerFightersThrive.com 2015
Special Treatment for Firefighters With Cancer? Some States Say Yes
Mark Rine was just 30 when he was diagnosed with deadly, stage 4 melanoma after his wife noticed a dark spot on his back. In the three years since, doctors have cut out some of the Columbus, Ohio, firefighter’s lymph nodes, treated him with chemotherapy and discovered inoperable cancerous tumors on his spine and lung.
“I fought a lot of fires. Abandoned homes, kitchen fires, car fires, dumpster fires,” Rine said. “That’s how I got this mother of all cancers.”
Had Rine been a firefighter in one of nearly three dozen other states, it might have been easier for him to receive disability benefits: Those states have laws that presume certain cancers are related to firefighters’ jobs and their exposure to toxic smoke and fumes. That means firefighters can become eligible for benefits without having to prove that their cancer was job-related. It would be up to a firefighter’s employer, usually a city or a county, to prove the cancer was in fact caused by something else.
A state senator, Republican Tom Patton, wants Ohio to join the ranks of states that offer such special protections to firefighters like Rine.
“We expect these men and women to run into burning buildings and save people’s lives and they do a marvelous job,” said Patton, who is sponsoring what’s known as a firefighter presumption bill. “They should have the presumption that their illness was caused by the fires they were fighting.”
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“I fought a lot of fires. Abandoned homes, kitchen fires, car fires, dumpster fires,” Rine said. “That’s how I got this mother of all cancers.”
Had Rine been a firefighter in one of nearly three dozen other states, it might have been easier for him to receive disability benefits: Those states have laws that presume certain cancers are related to firefighters’ jobs and their exposure to toxic smoke and fumes. That means firefighters can become eligible for benefits without having to prove that their cancer was job-related. It would be up to a firefighter’s employer, usually a city or a county, to prove the cancer was in fact caused by something else.
A state senator, Republican Tom Patton, wants Ohio to join the ranks of states that offer such special protections to firefighters like Rine.
“We expect these men and women to run into burning buildings and save people’s lives and they do a marvelous job,” said Patton, who is sponsoring what’s known as a firefighter presumption bill. “They should have the presumption that their illness was caused by the fires they were fighting.”
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Distinguished Young Women of the Lower Eastern Shore scholarship program
Distinguished Young Woman of the Lower Eastern Shore to be named January 23rd during local scholarship competition
Ocean City, Maryland December 15, 2015 – High school junior girls from across Worcester, Somerset, Wicomico, and Dorchester counties will join together in Salisbury for the Distinguished Young Women of the Lower Eastern Shore program to be held Saturday, January 23 at Parkside High School. Participants will compete for about $1000 in college scholarships and the opportunity to represent the state as the Distinguished Young Woman of the Lower Eastern Shore for 2016.
The program is open to the public and will begin at 4 p.m. Entry is free.
The young women competing will be evaluated by a panel of five judges in the following categories: Scholastics (25%), Interview (25%), Talent (20%), Fitness (15%), and Self-Expression (15%). The participant selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of the Lower Eastern Shore will advance to the state level at the Distinguished Young Women of Maryland program in Westminster, Maryland on July 6, 7, 8, and 9, 2016, where she will join with other representatives from across the state in competing for cash scholarships and the opportunity to represent the program as the Distinguished Young Woman of Maryland at the national finals in Mobile, Alabama.
For more information on Distinguished Young Women of the Lower Eastern Shore, please contact Tasha Haight at 410-490-6344 or lowereasternshore@distinguishedyw.org
About Distinguished Young Women
Founded in 1958 in Mobile, Alabama, Distinguished Young Women is the largest and oldest national scholarship program for high school girls. During its 58 years of operation, the program has provided life-changing experiences for more than 740,000 young women. Last year, Distinguished Young Women provided more than $820 million in cash and college scholarship opportunities to program participants at the local, state and national level. Previously known as America’s Junior Miss, the program announced its new name in June 2010.
The mission of Distinguished Young Women is to positively impact the lives of young women by providing a transformative experience that promotes and rewards scholarship, leadership and talent. National sponsors include Mobile County, City of Mobile, Wintzell's Oyster House, The Hearin-Chandler Foundation, Encore Rehabilitation, Alabama Power Foundation, Master Boat Builders, Barbara Barrington Jones Family Foundation, Regions Financial Corporation, and Alabama Media Group.
For more information about Distinguished Young Women, contact Megan Arendall, National Headquarters Marketing and Communications Director 251-438-3621
Ocean City, Maryland December 15, 2015 – High school junior girls from across Worcester, Somerset, Wicomico, and Dorchester counties will join together in Salisbury for the Distinguished Young Women of the Lower Eastern Shore program to be held Saturday, January 23 at Parkside High School. Participants will compete for about $1000 in college scholarships and the opportunity to represent the state as the Distinguished Young Woman of the Lower Eastern Shore for 2016.
The program is open to the public and will begin at 4 p.m. Entry is free.
The young women competing will be evaluated by a panel of five judges in the following categories: Scholastics (25%), Interview (25%), Talent (20%), Fitness (15%), and Self-Expression (15%). The participant selected as the Distinguished Young Woman of the Lower Eastern Shore will advance to the state level at the Distinguished Young Women of Maryland program in Westminster, Maryland on July 6, 7, 8, and 9, 2016, where she will join with other representatives from across the state in competing for cash scholarships and the opportunity to represent the program as the Distinguished Young Woman of Maryland at the national finals in Mobile, Alabama.
For more information on Distinguished Young Women of the Lower Eastern Shore, please contact Tasha Haight at 410-490-6344 or lowereasternshore@distinguishedyw.org
About Distinguished Young Women
Founded in 1958 in Mobile, Alabama, Distinguished Young Women is the largest and oldest national scholarship program for high school girls. During its 58 years of operation, the program has provided life-changing experiences for more than 740,000 young women. Last year, Distinguished Young Women provided more than $820 million in cash and college scholarship opportunities to program participants at the local, state and national level. Previously known as America’s Junior Miss, the program announced its new name in June 2010.
The mission of Distinguished Young Women is to positively impact the lives of young women by providing a transformative experience that promotes and rewards scholarship, leadership and talent. National sponsors include Mobile County, City of Mobile, Wintzell's Oyster House, The Hearin-Chandler Foundation, Encore Rehabilitation, Alabama Power Foundation, Master Boat Builders, Barbara Barrington Jones Family Foundation, Regions Financial Corporation, and Alabama Media Group.
For more information about Distinguished Young Women, contact Megan Arendall, National Headquarters Marketing and Communications Director 251-438-3621
Military service members to get 3.4 percent more in 2016 for housing
The Defense Department released housing allowance rates for 2016, as service members head into a second year of cost-sharing increases.
DoD said Dec. 15 that the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates will increase by an average of 3.4 percent starting Jan. 1, or roughly $54 per month.
“The cost-sharing amounts incorporated in the 2016 Basic Allowance for Housing rates vary by grade and dependency status and range from $24 to $57 monthly. This means for 2016, a typical member will need to absorb [2] percent of the national average housing cost by pay grade,” the department stated in a release.
The 2 percent increase is part of a four-year phase-in to shift some costs to members, with the amount increasing each year by 1 percent through 2018. By 2019 and after that year, members will be paying for 5 percent of their housing costs and utilities.
“This rate computation change slows the growth of certain military pay and benefits in a fair, responsible and sustainable way,” DoD said. “Even with these nominal changes, the overall military pay and benefits package remains robust and healthy.”
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DoD said Dec. 15 that the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates will increase by an average of 3.4 percent starting Jan. 1, or roughly $54 per month.
“The cost-sharing amounts incorporated in the 2016 Basic Allowance for Housing rates vary by grade and dependency status and range from $24 to $57 monthly. This means for 2016, a typical member will need to absorb [2] percent of the national average housing cost by pay grade,” the department stated in a release.
The 2 percent increase is part of a four-year phase-in to shift some costs to members, with the amount increasing each year by 1 percent through 2018. By 2019 and after that year, members will be paying for 5 percent of their housing costs and utilities.
“This rate computation change slows the growth of certain military pay and benefits in a fair, responsible and sustainable way,” DoD said. “Even with these nominal changes, the overall military pay and benefits package remains robust and healthy.”
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Advance Ticket Sales For ‘Star Wars’ Impresses At OC Theater
Record crowds and long lines are expected at movie theaters all across the nation, including Fox’s Sun and Surf Cinema, this week as Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens Thursday amid projections that it could potentially break every domestic and worldwide box office record in history.
Fox, president of Fox Theaters in Wyomissing, Pa., admits that while losing almost 60% of his seating during the $1.5 million renovation at the uptown movie theater last winter was a big risk, the reward has been even greater in the first year.
“Since we installed the recliner seating at the Sun and Surf, our ticket sales are up 80%,” said Fox, “and that is remarkable when you realize that the national trend is showing only a 5-8% increase in ticket sales.”
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The Monstrous Foreign-Policy Lie That Goes Unreported by the Mainstream Media
Obama, Hillary, Cheney and others pretend Trump has gone too far, while themselves guiding murderous policies.
Here is a good thought experiment: Would you rather a country bar you from entry or have that country bomb your house?
This question has not occurred to President Obama, Hillary Clinton, the mainstream media, or bleeding heart liberals like Dick Cheney and Paul Ryan. The nation’s most powerful political leaders, and most influential commentators, seem to find great gratification by puffing out their chests, furrowing their brows, and condemning Donald Trump’s latest exhibition of stupidity – the idea of issuing an immigration ban on Muslims. Ryan was particularly indignant as he attempted to save his party’s already scarred and disfigured face from the ever escalating public relations nightmare that is the Trump candidacy. “What was proposed yesterday,” Ryan referred to Trump’s idea to ban Muslims while pointing his finger in the mode of a disciplinary school teacher, “is not what this country stands for.”
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Here is a good thought experiment: Would you rather a country bar you from entry or have that country bomb your house?
This question has not occurred to President Obama, Hillary Clinton, the mainstream media, or bleeding heart liberals like Dick Cheney and Paul Ryan. The nation’s most powerful political leaders, and most influential commentators, seem to find great gratification by puffing out their chests, furrowing their brows, and condemning Donald Trump’s latest exhibition of stupidity – the idea of issuing an immigration ban on Muslims. Ryan was particularly indignant as he attempted to save his party’s already scarred and disfigured face from the ever escalating public relations nightmare that is the Trump candidacy. “What was proposed yesterday,” Ryan referred to Trump’s idea to ban Muslims while pointing his finger in the mode of a disciplinary school teacher, “is not what this country stands for.”
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Local Jobs Available
1) Part time / full time book keeper/accountant (must have at least 2 years of Quickbooks experience).
2) Full time office administrator and assistant to the property manager.
3) Full time maintenance position (2 or more years in the construction / maintenance industry)
If you know anyone who is interested please have them email their resume to micki@theroopgroup.com , fax it to 410-677-0310 or drop it off at our office at 2815 N Salisbury Blvd, Salisbury MD. This is an exciting time for our company and we look forward to a couple strong people to fill the roles available.
Yesterday's Top Posts
William Hall, Brad Gillis, Matt Holloway, It's not who you know, it's what you blow
Multiple viewers have asked me to keep these Posts at the top so I have provided links to each story. Just click on the titles and it will take you right to those stories.
Missouri Police Chief Resigns After Caging Family’s Lost Puppy at a Gun Range and Shooting It
After the fact, Spencer claimed that the dog was charging at people in the neighborhood.
Police Chief Andrew Spencer resigned this week after it was revealed that he shot and killed an innocent dog that was in a cage and meant no one any harm. To make matters even worse, he took the puppy to a firing range and killed it there because he did not want to deal with finding its home.
Spencer found the dog and managed to get it into a cage using a catcher pole. He then wrote in his report that he had planned to take the dog to a shelter where it would be “destroyed,” but then he got another call about a car accident so he decided to do it himself.
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Police Chief Andrew Spencer resigned this week after it was revealed that he shot and killed an innocent dog that was in a cage and meant no one any harm. To make matters even worse, he took the puppy to a firing range and killed it there because he did not want to deal with finding its home.
Spencer found the dog and managed to get it into a cage using a catcher pole. He then wrote in his report that he had planned to take the dog to a shelter where it would be “destroyed,” but then he got another call about a car accident so he decided to do it himself.
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Congressman Andy Harris Applauds NIH for Release of Strategic Plan
- NIH Outlines Agency Objectives Over Next Five Years-
WASHINGTON, DC: Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01), the only physician member of Congress to have conducted research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), commended NIH Director Francis Collins today in releasing the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan.
“Dr. Collins deserves credit for listening to the will of Congress and preparing a strategic plan. NIH receives nearly thirty billion dollars a year, and yet up until now, it has had no NIH-wide strategic plan,” said Dr. Harris. “As we look for ways to fund more biomedical research, Congress needs to know NIH is wisely spending the money it currently receives.”
The plan outlines the main objectives for the NIH, as well as specific medical and research goals they hope to achieve over the next five years. It works to streamline the agency in order to enhance medical research and breakthroughs.
“This groundbreaking NIH-wide strategic plan is an important first step toward increasing accountability and resource prioritization at NIH. As this Congress works to increase funding for NIH, the strategic plan will provide a roadmap for where the additional investments should be made. The strategic plan also makes it clear that no disease deserves an automatic specific percentage of funding which is an important shift in policy. The commitment to young investigators, basic scientists, and innovative new funding models is particularly encouraging. I look forward to partnering with NIH to help the brilliant scientists funded by the NIH achieve this vision,” added Dr. Harris.
Dr. Harris, through both House Appropriations bill language and the House Energy and Commerce “21st Century Cures Act,” has been urging the NIH to take this action. In May, Dr. Harris introduced H.R.2447 - to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for an NIH research strategic plan.
Congressman Harris, a member of the Appropriations subcommittee that determines NIH funding, performed research into fetal cerebral blood flow while on the faculty at the Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Governor Larry Hogan Appoints James Fielder as Secretary of Maryland Higher Education Commission
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan today announced the appointment of Dr. James D. Fielder as Secretary of the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Dr. Fielder has served as the governor's Secretary of Appointments for the past eleven months. Secretary Fielder will replace current Secretary of the Higher Education Commission, Jennie Hunter-Cevera, who will take on a new role as Science Advisor to Secretary Ben Grumbles in the Maryland Department of the Environment. The governor made his appointment after receiving official recommendations from the Higher Education Commission.
In addition to his work in both the public and private sectors, Secretary Fielder has a wealth of experience in the field of higher education, having previously served in positions at Michigan State University, University of Michigan-Flint, and Towson University. In addition, Secretary Fielder holds a doctorate degree in Higher Education Administration from Michigan State University. Secretary Fielder has served under four different Maryland governors from both parties, holding positions as Secretary of the Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation; Acting Secretary of the Department of Business and Economic Development; and Assistant Secretary of the Department of Business and Economic Development.
“I have every confidence that Secretary Fielder will serve Maryland extremely well in his new role at the Higher Education Commission,” said Governor Hogan. “I look forward to working with him to ensure Maryland maintains its reputation for having world-class higher education opportunities. In addition, I thank Secretary Hunter-Cevera for her leadership, and know she will continue to do great work in her new role at the Department of Environment.”
Secretary Hunter-Cevera has more than 20 years of professional experience in research and development, as well as public policy leadership in the life sciences, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industries. Her new role will include close coordination with the Department’s Science Services Administration on cross-cutting scientific issues and specific projects involving Chesapeake Bay restoration and innovative technologies and partnerships for protection of public health and the environment.
"I am honored that Governor Hogan has expressed his confidence in me and has requested that I take on the exciting role as Secretary of Maryland Higher Education Commission,” said Secretary Fielder.
"It has been an honor to serve as Secretary of the Higher Education Commission, and a privilege to work with the commissioners, along with the agency's talented and highly dedicated staff,” said Dr. Hunter-Cevera. “I look forward to continuing my service to the citizens of Maryland in my new capacity at the Department of the Environment."
"I commend Dr. Hunter-Cevera for the amount of improvements she has initiated during her tenure to make our agency more efficient. She truly has served with honor and distinction," said Anwer Hasan, chair of the Maryland Higher Education Commission.
Secretary Fielder will assume his new role this Thursday, December 17, 2015.
In addition to his work in both the public and private sectors, Secretary Fielder has a wealth of experience in the field of higher education, having previously served in positions at Michigan State University, University of Michigan-Flint, and Towson University. In addition, Secretary Fielder holds a doctorate degree in Higher Education Administration from Michigan State University. Secretary Fielder has served under four different Maryland governors from both parties, holding positions as Secretary of the Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation; Acting Secretary of the Department of Business and Economic Development; and Assistant Secretary of the Department of Business and Economic Development.
“I have every confidence that Secretary Fielder will serve Maryland extremely well in his new role at the Higher Education Commission,” said Governor Hogan. “I look forward to working with him to ensure Maryland maintains its reputation for having world-class higher education opportunities. In addition, I thank Secretary Hunter-Cevera for her leadership, and know she will continue to do great work in her new role at the Department of Environment.”
Secretary Hunter-Cevera has more than 20 years of professional experience in research and development, as well as public policy leadership in the life sciences, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industries. Her new role will include close coordination with the Department’s Science Services Administration on cross-cutting scientific issues and specific projects involving Chesapeake Bay restoration and innovative technologies and partnerships for protection of public health and the environment.
"I am honored that Governor Hogan has expressed his confidence in me and has requested that I take on the exciting role as Secretary of Maryland Higher Education Commission,” said Secretary Fielder.
"It has been an honor to serve as Secretary of the Higher Education Commission, and a privilege to work with the commissioners, along with the agency's talented and highly dedicated staff,” said Dr. Hunter-Cevera. “I look forward to continuing my service to the citizens of Maryland in my new capacity at the Department of the Environment."
"I commend Dr. Hunter-Cevera for the amount of improvements she has initiated during her tenure to make our agency more efficient. She truly has served with honor and distinction," said Anwer Hasan, chair of the Maryland Higher Education Commission.
Secretary Fielder will assume his new role this Thursday, December 17, 2015.
America’s Great Divide: How the U.S. Transformed Into a 'Dual Economy' and What Can Be Done to Reverse It
Common to developing nations, a dual economy is taking root in the U.S. MIT economist Peter Themin explains how this happened and what can be done to stop it.
In the America of haves and have-nots, fewer folks are “movin’ on up” like George Jefferson of the classic sitcom. In a new paper for the Institute for New Economic Thinking, Peter Temin, MIT economist and economic historian, breaks down how it happened and where we’re headed with a powerful model first used by West Indian economist W. Arthur Lewis, the only person of African descent to win a Nobel Prize in economics. Dual economies are common in less developed countries, but Temin argues that America has now diverged into a top thirty percent, where children receive excellent educations and grow up to work in sectors like finance, technology and electronics industries (FTE)— and then there’s the rest, the low-wage folks who live paycheck to paycheck and whose kids have little hope of joining the lucky ones at the top. Temin explains what drives the dual economy, what race has to do with it, how children are hurt, and why our political system can’t seem to fix anything. *This post originally appeared on the blog for the Institute for New Economic Thinking.
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In the America of haves and have-nots, fewer folks are “movin’ on up” like George Jefferson of the classic sitcom. In a new paper for the Institute for New Economic Thinking, Peter Temin, MIT economist and economic historian, breaks down how it happened and where we’re headed with a powerful model first used by West Indian economist W. Arthur Lewis, the only person of African descent to win a Nobel Prize in economics. Dual economies are common in less developed countries, but Temin argues that America has now diverged into a top thirty percent, where children receive excellent educations and grow up to work in sectors like finance, technology and electronics industries (FTE)— and then there’s the rest, the low-wage folks who live paycheck to paycheck and whose kids have little hope of joining the lucky ones at the top. Temin explains what drives the dual economy, what race has to do with it, how children are hurt, and why our political system can’t seem to fix anything. *This post originally appeared on the blog for the Institute for New Economic Thinking.
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Christian Social Media Group Uses YouTube to Counter ISIS’ Jihadist Message
(CNSNews) – A Los-Angeles based social media group is using YouTube to give a voice to the victims of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and counter its jihadist message with the Christian message of redemption.
The Nine: Overcoming ISIS – the latest video produced by Mighty.LA in conjunction with the mission groupMore International- features testimony by nine Iraqi Christians who were part of more than a half million people who fled from their homes and businesses in Mosul after the ISIS invasion on June 9, 2014.
“We left everything behind and fled,” one woman recounts.
“During this time I was very scared, because it was a life or death situation,” another Christian refugee says. ”Because 20 days earlier, I had seen dead bodies in the street. Bodies that were burned or beheaded. I thought that I would end up like them.”
But dying was “better than abandoning my religion to become Muslim,” said a Christian man, his voice cracking with emotion.
“We are now carrying the cross. And following Jesus,” one of the nine added.
“You feel joy when you are being persecuted for Christ…I tell myself that I’m not even worthy to be persecuted for Christ,” his fellow refugee says.
“They are people just like me, but Satan controls them… In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray their minds and their hearts would change,” another Iraqi Christian says.
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The Nine: Overcoming ISIS – the latest video produced by Mighty.LA in conjunction with the mission groupMore International- features testimony by nine Iraqi Christians who were part of more than a half million people who fled from their homes and businesses in Mosul after the ISIS invasion on June 9, 2014.
“We left everything behind and fled,” one woman recounts.
“During this time I was very scared, because it was a life or death situation,” another Christian refugee says. ”Because 20 days earlier, I had seen dead bodies in the street. Bodies that were burned or beheaded. I thought that I would end up like them.”
But dying was “better than abandoning my religion to become Muslim,” said a Christian man, his voice cracking with emotion.
“We are now carrying the cross. And following Jesus,” one of the nine added.
“You feel joy when you are being persecuted for Christ…I tell myself that I’m not even worthy to be persecuted for Christ,” his fellow refugee says.
“They are people just like me, but Satan controls them… In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray their minds and their hearts would change,” another Iraqi Christian says.
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Faculty Vote No Confidence at Ithaca, Chico State
Faculty members on two campuses voted no confidence in administrators in recent days. Saying it opposed President Tom Rochon’s “autocratic” leadership style, the Ithaca College Faculty Council released the results of its faculty vote on Monday. Some 78 percent of voting, full-time continuing faculty expressed no confidence in their leader. The turnout rate was 87 percent.
“The number of faculty voters and the strength of its mandate are the culmination of months of deeply reflective, highly intellectual dialogue and organizing,” Mary Bentley, associate professor of health promotion and physical education, said in a statement. The vote is a “clear call to action for the college’s Board of Trustees to remove this president.”
Asma Barlas, a professor of politics at Ithaca, said Rochon’s troubles have been exacerbated by the recent student protests on campus regarding the racial climate. The president’s “so-called solutions to the current crisis have been too little, too late and hence, hopelessly ineffectual,” she said.
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“The number of faculty voters and the strength of its mandate are the culmination of months of deeply reflective, highly intellectual dialogue and organizing,” Mary Bentley, associate professor of health promotion and physical education, said in a statement. The vote is a “clear call to action for the college’s Board of Trustees to remove this president.”
Asma Barlas, a professor of politics at Ithaca, said Rochon’s troubles have been exacerbated by the recent student protests on campus regarding the racial climate. The president’s “so-called solutions to the current crisis have been too little, too late and hence, hopelessly ineffectual,” she said.
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Councilman Brandon Scott Decries Hogan's "Disrespectful" Remarks On Baltimore Violence
Baltimore City Councilman Brandon Scott took exception Tuesday to something Gov. Larry Hogan said about Baltimore in a visit to C4's show Tuesday.
Asked about his reaction to the city's homicide rate, Hogan discussed gang violence and the city's drug problem, then discussed the protesters following the death of Freddie Gray.
"I express my concern that we have a lot of people out there expressing their concern and frustration over the tragic death of Freddie Gray, but where's the uproar in the community, where's the frustration over the 300 people murdered?"
Baltimore's homicide rate Wednesday stood at 328. Scott, however, quickly responded on Twitter with a picture of a demonstration at Penn-North that he said was taken several days after Gray died. Several dozen people held signs saying, "We must stop killing each other."
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Asked about his reaction to the city's homicide rate, Hogan discussed gang violence and the city's drug problem, then discussed the protesters following the death of Freddie Gray.
"I express my concern that we have a lot of people out there expressing their concern and frustration over the tragic death of Freddie Gray, but where's the uproar in the community, where's the frustration over the 300 people murdered?"
Baltimore's homicide rate Wednesday stood at 328. Scott, however, quickly responded on Twitter with a picture of a demonstration at Penn-North that he said was taken several days after Gray died. Several dozen people held signs saying, "We must stop killing each other."
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Are Democratic Voters About to Make the Same Mistake Again with Hillary Clinton?
This bad news might be best explained by the Democrats’ even more lopsided answer to the big “electability” question. Unfortunately for Sanders, 38% more Democrats think Clinton “would have a good chance of defeating the Republican nominee” than would Sanders (87% to 49%).
Whose Electability?
The good news is what the pollsters actually demonstrate to be true about electability by direct match-ups of the two Democrats against those four Republican contenders who have more than single digit support. Their findings: “Sanders does just as well [as Clinton against Rubio], or even better, against [the other] top Republicans [Trump, Carson,and Cruz].” Against each of the latter three, Sanders’ winning margin exceeds Clinton’s by 2%, 3% and 5% respectively.
It appears that democratic voters are not just misinformed, but grossly misinformed, about whether Clinton or Sanders would do better against Republicans. Comparing the margin of support for Clinton over Sanders (30%) with the even larger 38% margin of polled Democrats who erroneously rank Clinton as a more electable candidate than Sanders suggests the possibility that their grossly erroneous belief may well account for much of their expressed preference for Clinton.
Even if not all Clinton supporters are using electability as their main criterion for preferring her in opinion polls, it would be useful for these grossly misled Democrats when casting their primary vote to consider the reason why Sanders’ outperforms Clinton against Republicans. They should remember that it is independent voters, not party loyalists, who generally determine the outcome of typically close general elections. If Democrats really want to lose the 2016 election to a Republican they should by all means choose a candidate that Independents reject. Clinton is just the candidate for that job.
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Whose Electability?
The good news is what the pollsters actually demonstrate to be true about electability by direct match-ups of the two Democrats against those four Republican contenders who have more than single digit support. Their findings: “Sanders does just as well [as Clinton against Rubio], or even better, against [the other] top Republicans [Trump, Carson,and Cruz].” Against each of the latter three, Sanders’ winning margin exceeds Clinton’s by 2%, 3% and 5% respectively.
It appears that democratic voters are not just misinformed, but grossly misinformed, about whether Clinton or Sanders would do better against Republicans. Comparing the margin of support for Clinton over Sanders (30%) with the even larger 38% margin of polled Democrats who erroneously rank Clinton as a more electable candidate than Sanders suggests the possibility that their grossly erroneous belief may well account for much of their expressed preference for Clinton.
Even if not all Clinton supporters are using electability as their main criterion for preferring her in opinion polls, it would be useful for these grossly misled Democrats when casting their primary vote to consider the reason why Sanders’ outperforms Clinton against Republicans. They should remember that it is independent voters, not party loyalists, who generally determine the outcome of typically close general elections. If Democrats really want to lose the 2016 election to a Republican they should by all means choose a candidate that Independents reject. Clinton is just the candidate for that job.
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Win Harry's Corvette Drawing Tomorrow Night
WE ARE OFFICIALLY ONE DAY AWAY FROM ANNOUNCING THE WINNER of www.WinHarrysCorvette.com Parkinson's Fundraiser this Friday Dec 18th @ Brew River Restaurant and Bar!!!
You can still buy raffle tickets, but buy now because time is running out!! JOIN US and celebrate this Friday night from 7-9pm as we party with the High Five Swan Dive band from Philadelphia!!
Buy $100 or more and get into our VIP LOUNGE w/ free hors D'oeuvres, free drink pass and champagne toast! Network with the sponsors all night! And $500 or more will also get you a tax write off! Hurry and buy now!
All proceeds go to our local Lower Shore Parkinson's Support Group to help fight this disease and support those who live with it everyday. Please help us raise money for this great cause! See everyone this Friday night!
Maryland ACLU: MISTRIAL DECLARED IN TRIAL OF WILLIAM PORTER
The following can be attributed to Susan Goering, Executive Director of the ACLU of Maryland:
"A mistrial was declared today in the case of Baltimore Police Officer William Porter, who is charged in the April death of Freddie Gray; a hearing on a new trial date is scheduled for tomorrow.
While we wait for individual accountability in the criminal cases, the larger system of police accountability in Maryland should itself be on trial. Some of the testimony in Officer Porter's case raises fundamental questions about the management of the Baltimore Police Department, which must be addressed regardless of the outcome of these cases.
All of Baltimore should be outraged by the death of Freddie Gray, one of too many Black Americans who have died at the hands of police. All it would have taken was the humane act of seat belting Gray, according to police protocol, and he would be alive today. Too many Black lives have been lost to police misconduct. Maryland needs police accountability reform now."
Half of America Is in or Damn Near Close to Living in Poverty
Congress should be filled with guilt -- and shame -- for failing to deal with our enormous wealth disparities.
Recent reports have documented the growing rates of impoverishment in the U.S., and new information surfacing in the past 12 months shows that the trend is continuing, and probably worsening.
Congress should be filled with guilt -- and shame -- for failing to deal with the enormous wealth disparities that are turning our country into the equivalent of a 3rd-world nation.
Half of Americans Make Less than a Living Wage
According to the Social Security Administration, over half of Americans make less than $30,000 per year.
That's less than an appropriate average living wage of $16.87 per hour, as calculated by Alliance for a Just Society (AJS), and it's not enough -- even with two full-time workers -- to attain an "adequate but modest living standard" for a family of four, which at the median is over $60,000, according to the Economic Policy Institute.
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Recent reports have documented the growing rates of impoverishment in the U.S., and new information surfacing in the past 12 months shows that the trend is continuing, and probably worsening.
Congress should be filled with guilt -- and shame -- for failing to deal with the enormous wealth disparities that are turning our country into the equivalent of a 3rd-world nation.
Half of Americans Make Less than a Living Wage
According to the Social Security Administration, over half of Americans make less than $30,000 per year.
That's less than an appropriate average living wage of $16.87 per hour, as calculated by Alliance for a Just Society (AJS), and it's not enough -- even with two full-time workers -- to attain an "adequate but modest living standard" for a family of four, which at the median is over $60,000, according to the Economic Policy Institute.
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Magnolia Man Arrested in Meth Lab Operation
Magnolia, DE - The Delaware State Police Kent County Drug Unit has arrested a Magnolia man after the culmination of a three month investigation into the manufacturing of Methamphetamine (Meth) at a residence on Millchop Lane, Magnolia.
On Tuesday, December 15, 2015 at approximately 11:15 a.m., the Delaware State Police Kent County Drug Task Force (DTF) with the assistance of the Kent County Governor’s Task Force, Troop 3 patrol and (DNREC) responded to 339 Millchop Lane, Magnolia, De., in order to conduct a search warrant in response to an on-going investigation into the manufacturing of meth at this residence. Upon arrival Ronald L. Hawkins, 30 of Magnolia, was observed in a shed on the property acting suspicious. A short time later, he left the residence and responded to the area of Walmart Camden, DE where Troopers contacted him and found key ingredients used to manufacture meth, were located in the vehicle. Hawkins was taken into custody. At that time, the search warrant was executed at the residence. Upon conducting a search of the property, detectives located equipment and component mixtures of the manufacturing stages of Meth along with key ingredients in making the drug, Methamphetamine. The evidence was collected and hazardous materials removed by DNREC. During the removal of the bottles, one ignited into flames. There were three small children at the residence and the Division of Family Resources responded to the scene. The children were turned over to a family member. There were no injuries.
Ronald L. Hawkins was transported to Troop 3 in Camden where he was processed and charged with Operating a Clandestine Lab, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. He was remanded to the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in lieu of $20,000.00 cash bond and ordered to have no contact with the children present in the residence. (photo attached)
No evacuations were ordered as it was determined that there was no immediate hazard to nearby residents.
On Tuesday, December 15, 2015 at approximately 11:15 a.m., the Delaware State Police Kent County Drug Task Force (DTF) with the assistance of the Kent County Governor’s Task Force, Troop 3 patrol and (DNREC) responded to 339 Millchop Lane, Magnolia, De., in order to conduct a search warrant in response to an on-going investigation into the manufacturing of meth at this residence. Upon arrival Ronald L. Hawkins, 30 of Magnolia, was observed in a shed on the property acting suspicious. A short time later, he left the residence and responded to the area of Walmart Camden, DE where Troopers contacted him and found key ingredients used to manufacture meth, were located in the vehicle. Hawkins was taken into custody. At that time, the search warrant was executed at the residence. Upon conducting a search of the property, detectives located equipment and component mixtures of the manufacturing stages of Meth along with key ingredients in making the drug, Methamphetamine. The evidence was collected and hazardous materials removed by DNREC. During the removal of the bottles, one ignited into flames. There were three small children at the residence and the Division of Family Resources responded to the scene. The children were turned over to a family member. There were no injuries.
Ronald L. Hawkins was transported to Troop 3 in Camden where he was processed and charged with Operating a Clandestine Lab, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. He was remanded to the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in lieu of $20,000.00 cash bond and ordered to have no contact with the children present in the residence. (photo attached)
No evacuations were ordered as it was determined that there was no immediate hazard to nearby residents.
SC Lawmakers Spar Over Confederate Christmas Card
CHRIS CORLEY, DOUG BRANNON DO BATTLE OVER REBEL-THEMED HOLIDAY MISSIVE …
S.C. Rep. Chris Corley continues to soak up the earned media in the aftermath of his controversial 2015 Christmas card – which accused “Republicans” who voted in favor of taking down the Confederate flag of betraying their constituents.
Having already enraged fiscally liberal S.C. Speaker of the House Jay Lucas, Corley’s next indignant reaction came courtesy of Upstate, S.C. “Republican” Doug Brannon – a Michigan native who has emerged as a central figure in some recent articles we’ve written related to judicial corruption.
Brannon apparently took none too kindly to Corley’s missive, and responded with a feisty letter telling him where he could put his Christmas card. Take a look …
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S.C. Rep. Chris Corley continues to soak up the earned media in the aftermath of his controversial 2015 Christmas card – which accused “Republicans” who voted in favor of taking down the Confederate flag of betraying their constituents.
Having already enraged fiscally liberal S.C. Speaker of the House Jay Lucas, Corley’s next indignant reaction came courtesy of Upstate, S.C. “Republican” Doug Brannon – a Michigan native who has emerged as a central figure in some recent articles we’ve written related to judicial corruption.
Brannon apparently took none too kindly to Corley’s missive, and responded with a feisty letter telling him where he could put his Christmas card. Take a look …
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Howard Stern Announces 5-year Deal With Sirius XM
Howard Stern has struck a new five-year deal with SiriusXM Satellite Radio that includes plans for a streaming video component to augment his four-hour daily radio program.
The famed shock j0ck announced the agreement live on his show Tuesday morning. Details of the video plan were not immediately clear but SiriusXM said the pact includes a 12-year deal giving SiriusXM rights to video and audio material from Stern's 30-year radio career and a plan "to launch its first venture into video programming with Howard."
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The famed shock j0ck announced the agreement live on his show Tuesday morning. Details of the video plan were not immediately clear but SiriusXM said the pact includes a 12-year deal giving SiriusXM rights to video and audio material from Stern's 30-year radio career and a plan "to launch its first venture into video programming with Howard."
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Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Dogs vs. Elf on the Shelf 2015
Funny pics of Surf dog Ricochet, the SURFice dog! & Rina too... battling Elf on the Shelf's pranks! They're looking for...
Posted by Surf dog Ricochet, the SURFice dog! on Thursday, December 10, 2015
Secret Service employee on leave after burglary arrest shot and killed in Southeast D.C.
WASHINGTON (ABC7) - A Secret Service employee put on leave after a burglary arrest in April was shot and killed in Southeast D.C. Tuesday afternoon.
Police responded to the 4700 block of 1st Street at approximately 2:52 p.m. on Dec. 15 for reports of a shooting.
The victim, Arthur Baldwin, was unconscious at the scene and later died from multiple gunshot wounds.
Police were on the lookout for three black male suspects.
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Police responded to the 4700 block of 1st Street at approximately 2:52 p.m. on Dec. 15 for reports of a shooting.
The victim, Arthur Baldwin, was unconscious at the scene and later died from multiple gunshot wounds.
Police were on the lookout for three black male suspects.
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French Imam: Deport Muslim Hate-preachers Before It's Too Late
French imam says his calls to deport extremist preachers were repeatedly ignored, accuses Europe of abandoning moderate Muslims.
A French imam has accused Europe of "abandoning moderate Muslims" by refusing to clamp down on Islamists inciting violence and indoctrinating young Muslims.
French-Tunisian Imam Sheikh Hassen Chalghoumi made his comments in an interview with Al Arabiya TV just two weeks following the deadly ISIS terrorist attacks in Paris. The interview was translated by MEMRI.
He claimed he had been calling on French authorities to deport foreign, extremist imams and other preachers who regularly preached hate in French mosques, but had been repeatedly ignored.
Noting that ISIS - which brands all other Muslims heretics as well - did not distinguish between Muslims and non-Muslims in its attacks, while at the same time European Muslims would "suffer" in general as a result of the attacks, he said he hoped French authorities would finally make good on their promises to shut down the extremists.
More here
A French imam has accused Europe of "abandoning moderate Muslims" by refusing to clamp down on Islamists inciting violence and indoctrinating young Muslims.
French-Tunisian Imam Sheikh Hassen Chalghoumi made his comments in an interview with Al Arabiya TV just two weeks following the deadly ISIS terrorist attacks in Paris. The interview was translated by MEMRI.
He claimed he had been calling on French authorities to deport foreign, extremist imams and other preachers who regularly preached hate in French mosques, but had been repeatedly ignored.
Noting that ISIS - which brands all other Muslims heretics as well - did not distinguish between Muslims and non-Muslims in its attacks, while at the same time European Muslims would "suffer" in general as a result of the attacks, he said he hoped French authorities would finally make good on their promises to shut down the extremists.
More here
Baltimore PD Press Release 12-16-15 (Police Involved Shooting)
Upon arrival the officers located an adult male who was suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the shoulder. That victim was transported to an area hospital and is expected to survived his injury.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the victim was a delivery man, delivering soda to a local business establishment, when an unknown suspect attempted to rob and then shot the victim.
While police were on the scene of that shooting, the heard discharging coming from several blocks away. The officers then responded to the 500 block of N. Hilton Street when they observed two (2) armed suspects.
Upon noticing police presence, both suspects began to run. One of the suspects escaped apprehension while the other suspect continued to run as the officers chased behind him. Officers observed that suspect with a handgun and then ordered him to drop the gun. That suspect refused to drop the weapon at which time at least one officer fired his departmental firearm, striking the suspect in the leg. Even after being shot, that suspect continued to resist arrest. Ultimately the suspect, a 17 year old male, was taken into custody and transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The suspect’s weapon was recovered along with a second weapon that was found in close proximity to where the first suspect ran.
This investigation is open and ongoing, as detectives are looking to see if these two incidents are linked. Anyone with information regarding both these incidents are urged to contact police.
ICYM:Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Police Commissioner Kevin Davis comment on the conclusion of Officer Porter's trial.
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Police Commissioner Kevin Davis comment on the conclusion of Officer Porter's trial.
Posted by Baltimore Police Department on Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Wheaton College suspends professor over Muslim comments
In her post, Hawkins said that she would wear a hijab to show “human solidarity” with Muslim neighbors because they are “formed of the same primordial clay, descendants of the same cradle of humankind.”
“I stand in religious solidarity with Muslims because they, like me, a Christian, are people of the book. And as Pope Francis stated last week, we worship the same God,” Hawkins wrote.
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Vienna to host 35th luminaria Dec. 19
The public is invited to walk the streets, ride the free Vienna tram, or slowly drive through Vienna to enjoy the spectacle and homes decorated for Christmas. From 5 to 9 p.m., guests can stop along the way to see the Vienna Heritage Museum and get a treat, visit historical buildings, enjoy entertainment at churches and talk to Santa. A number of homes will be open to patrons with house tour tickets.
This is a special memorial year in honor of Marynan Spear and her 35 years of service with the Vienna Heritage Day which lead to the creation of the Vienna Heritage Foundation. Believed to be the longest active member, she served at least four years as president and more recently for many years as the treasurer and the organizer of the open houses.
Headquarters for the Dec. 19 luminaria will be the Vienna Heritage Museum at 303 Race St. This is the must-stop place for house tour tickets for those interested in the tour. The cost is $5 per person with children under 6 free. All other activities are free of charge.
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FAMILY GUY NAILS MEDIA HYPOCRISY ON BLACK-ON-BLACK CRIME…AND IT’S HILARIOUS
Sometimes Family Guy is on point.
Yes, we know Seth MacFarlane is a liberal Bernie Sanders supporter. But much like Bill Maher, he’s one of the few intellectually honest ones (read Liberal ‘Family Guy’ Creator Seth MacFarlane Upsets Liberals with Conservative Tweet). Which means sometimes we get little snippets of politically incorrect fun.
Last Sunday, they tackled racism and the media…
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Students practice calligraphy by writing "There is no god but Allah"
Female students at Riverheads High School in Staunton, Virginia, were also invited to wear Muslim clothing -- a story first reported by The Schilling Show
The school district convened a meeting on Dec. 11th to discuss the assignment with outraged parents.
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FEDS IGNORED ISLAMIC TERROR THREAT BEFORE SAN BERNARDINO TO FOCUS ON ‘RIGHT-WING RADICALS’
Numerous DHS, FBI reports downplayed or completely omitted Muslim jihadists
The federal government deliberately downplayed the threat posed by Islamic terrorism immediately before the recent spate of Islamist terror attacks, ignoring Muslim extremists in favor of hyping the threat posed by radical right-wingers.
In the years leading up to the Boston bombings, the Garland shooting, the Chattanooga attack and the San Bernardino massacre, the FBI, Homeland Security and the Obama White House emphasized the narrative that white supremacists and anti-government Americans were of more concern than Muslim jihadists.
A policy that prohibited Homeland Security officials from checking the social media accounts of foreign visa applicants, while concurrently keeping tags on the social media profiles of American citizens, directly contributed to San Bernardino terrorists Tashfeen Malik and Syed Farook going undetected.
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The federal government deliberately downplayed the threat posed by Islamic terrorism immediately before the recent spate of Islamist terror attacks, ignoring Muslim extremists in favor of hyping the threat posed by radical right-wingers.
In the years leading up to the Boston bombings, the Garland shooting, the Chattanooga attack and the San Bernardino massacre, the FBI, Homeland Security and the Obama White House emphasized the narrative that white supremacists and anti-government Americans were of more concern than Muslim jihadists.
A policy that prohibited Homeland Security officials from checking the social media accounts of foreign visa applicants, while concurrently keeping tags on the social media profiles of American citizens, directly contributed to San Bernardino terrorists Tashfeen Malik and Syed Farook going undetected.
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Meet the 77-year-old grandma scaring away trouble in Milwaukee
By night, this 77-year-old mother of five looks for trouble -- and stops it. The former corrections officer wields only two weapons: kindness and grit.
"I don't see them as bad people. I see them as needing help."
She says no one has hurt here when she confronts them on the streets, and she can handle herself.
"I think it's the respect, you know? Not the fear," Freeman continued.
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Veteran’s Facebook Post Comparing President George W. Bush to President Obama Is Going Viral
In a viral Facebook post, the former soldier shared a few photos of former President George W. Bush visiting with injured veterans and bringing a turkey meal to active duty soldiers. And although he made mistakes, Douglas said, he owned up to those errors.
“[Fourteen] years ago, I had a President who was proud to be an American and who shared that pride with the people,” the veteran wrote. “Today, I have an eloquent but petulant schoolchild pretending to be a leader. On the worst day in American history since Pearl Harbor, I had a President who told the world that America will not bow down. Today, I have a charlatan snake oil salesman who bows to my enemies.”
“But 14 years ago, I had a President,” he continued.
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Women Suicide Bombers On The Rise Don’t Have Much Use For 72 Virgins. Here’s What They Get Instead
Men apparently receive 72 virgins for engaging in suicide missions. Women, according to Palestinian-Jordanian cleric Sheikh Mashhoor bin Hasan Al-Salman, will each receive one young man with “a penis that never bends.”
“The Prophet Muhammad said: ‘The dwellers of Paradise have clothing that never wears out, youth that never wanes, and a penis that never bends.’ So, she can have sex with this strong man, but she cannot have multiple men taking turns with her,” Al-Salman said in a video earlier this year.
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Burn victim who wished for Christmas cards receives trip to Disney World
On Sunday night, Safyre’s aunt Liz Dodler posted about the trip on a Facebook page she maintains about Safyre’s progress. Since the 2013 fire, Safyre has lost her left foot and right hand, and needed more than 50 surgeries to graft skin over her burns. Dodler said she couldn’t wait to share the news with Safyre and her four other children.
According to WNBC, the trip is being sponsored by Baking Memories 4 Kids, a non-profit group that funds week-long trips for children with life-threatening and terminal illness. The New York State Police, the Schenectady Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), which helped investigate the 2013 fire, will help present the trip to Safyre and her family.
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OC: Holiday Services, Celebrations and Closings
Also beginning December 28, the Town of Ocean City will once again provide a Christmas tree drop-off site at the 100th Street Municipal Parking Lot. Trees can be placed in the northeast corner of the 100th Street lot December 26 through January 15. Please remove all tinsel, ornaments and other non-wooden items from the tree. Trees collected at the site are taken to the county landfill where they are recycled.
Citizens should also be reminded that Town of Ocean City administrative offices will be closed on Friday, January 1, in observance of the New Year’s holiday. There will be no trash collection on New Year’s Day. Instead, all trash will be collected on Thursday, December 31.
Judicial Watch Files FOIA Lawsuit for Refugee Documents
(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced that it filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia seeking records between the U.S. Department of State and voluntary agencies regarding refugees arriving in the United States (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of State (No 1:15-cv-02030)).
The lawsuit was filed after the State Department failed to respond to two Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests submitted on May 22, 2015, and September 14, 2015.
The FOIA request submitted on May 22, 2015, seeks records of:
All Cooperation Agreements for the years 2014 and 2015 between the Department of State and the voluntary agencies involved in providing reception and placement services to refugees arriving in the United States.
All Reception and Placement abstracts for the years 2014 and 2015 furnished to the Department of State by voluntary agencies, entities subcontracting to voluntary agencies, or entities affiliated with voluntary agencies regarding the provision of reception and placement services to refugees arriving in the United States.
All transcripts of hearings held in 2014 and 2015 by the Department of State with representatives from voluntary agencies, entities subcontracting to voluntary agencies, entities affiliated with voluntary agencies, the Department of Health and Human Services, and/or the Office of Refugee Settlement regarding the provision of reception and placement services to refugees arriving in the United States.
All comments submitted to the State Department by members of the public at the hearings identified in Bullet 3 above.
All records reflecting the number of refugees, their countries of origin, and destinations in the United States in which they were settled by the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) through R&P programs for the years 2013, 2014, and 2015.
The second FOIA request, submitted September 14, 2015, seeks records of:
The lawsuit was filed after the State Department failed to respond to two Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests submitted on May 22, 2015, and September 14, 2015.
The FOIA request submitted on May 22, 2015, seeks records of:
All Cooperation Agreements for the years 2014 and 2015 between the Department of State and the voluntary agencies involved in providing reception and placement services to refugees arriving in the United States.
All Reception and Placement abstracts for the years 2014 and 2015 furnished to the Department of State by voluntary agencies, entities subcontracting to voluntary agencies, or entities affiliated with voluntary agencies regarding the provision of reception and placement services to refugees arriving in the United States.
All transcripts of hearings held in 2014 and 2015 by the Department of State with representatives from voluntary agencies, entities subcontracting to voluntary agencies, entities affiliated with voluntary agencies, the Department of Health and Human Services, and/or the Office of Refugee Settlement regarding the provision of reception and placement services to refugees arriving in the United States.
All comments submitted to the State Department by members of the public at the hearings identified in Bullet 3 above.
All records reflecting the number of refugees, their countries of origin, and destinations in the United States in which they were settled by the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) through R&P programs for the years 2013, 2014, and 2015.
The second FOIA request, submitted September 14, 2015, seeks records of:
Main St Gym Battles in Dover
Three Main St. Gym boxers traveled to Dover, Delaware Saturday evening (12/12/2015) to compete at the Dover YMCA. The event billed as “Holiday Brawl For All,” brought in fighters from PA, MD, NJ. D.C. and DE.
Jordan Brown of Delmar, MD led Main Street’s team against a very game Philadelphia fighter. Jordan maintained his poise for the three round bouts to grab the victory. “ Jordan is really starting to put it all together now. In only his third fight he remains unbeaten but more importantly he is staying cool and using his head in the ring. He works behind his jab and has a good awareness of where he is in the ring which helps with both his defense and offense” said Main St Gym head coach, Hal Chernoff.
In the third bout of the evening, eight (8) year old Gavin Brown (younger brother to Jordan) entered the ring for his second time as a fighter. Gavin fought a young fighter from the Philadelphia area. While Gavin kept the fight close through each round, his opponent backed Gavin up at the end of the third round with a large volley of punches just as the bell sounded giving the decision to his opponent. “Gavin didn’t get the win tonight, but he is doing so well that I don’t want him even thinking in terms of winning or losing. I just want him to know he is getting better and focus on learning”, Chernoff said. Keep your ears open because you will be hearing much more about both Gavin and Jordan Brown.
Main St. Gym’s last fighter to enter the ring was heavyweight TJ Mottinger. Although Mottinger was the taller of the two fighters, his Philadelphia opponent was configured like a tank weighing in well over the 200lb limit. Mottinger started slow and cautious of the shorter man’s power; but, after getting warmed up he had no problem landing punches and taking the fight. “This was Mottinger’s third win and his boxing skills are just getting better together with his overall strength, he will be a force to be reckoned with,” said Chernoff.
Jordan Brown of Delmar, MD led Main Street’s team against a very game Philadelphia fighter. Jordan maintained his poise for the three round bouts to grab the victory. “ Jordan is really starting to put it all together now. In only his third fight he remains unbeaten but more importantly he is staying cool and using his head in the ring. He works behind his jab and has a good awareness of where he is in the ring which helps with both his defense and offense” said Main St Gym head coach, Hal Chernoff.
In the third bout of the evening, eight (8) year old Gavin Brown (younger brother to Jordan) entered the ring for his second time as a fighter. Gavin fought a young fighter from the Philadelphia area. While Gavin kept the fight close through each round, his opponent backed Gavin up at the end of the third round with a large volley of punches just as the bell sounded giving the decision to his opponent. “Gavin didn’t get the win tonight, but he is doing so well that I don’t want him even thinking in terms of winning or losing. I just want him to know he is getting better and focus on learning”, Chernoff said. Keep your ears open because you will be hearing much more about both Gavin and Jordan Brown.
Main St. Gym’s last fighter to enter the ring was heavyweight TJ Mottinger. Although Mottinger was the taller of the two fighters, his Philadelphia opponent was configured like a tank weighing in well over the 200lb limit. Mottinger started slow and cautious of the shorter man’s power; but, after getting warmed up he had no problem landing punches and taking the fight. “This was Mottinger’s third win and his boxing skills are just getting better together with his overall strength, he will be a force to be reckoned with,” said Chernoff.
Nation's Top Drug Official Calls War on Drugs a Failure
The nation's top drug official went on CBS' "60 Minutes" Sunday night and proclaimed the old War on Drugs a failure. Michael Botticelli, who serves as the director of the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy, also said he wants to reform and refocus U.S. drug policy.
When asked by "60 Minutes" host Scott Pelley if the costly drug war that has been in place for more than 40 years had been wrong, Botticelli had blunt words for what he called the "failed policies and failed practices" of the past, noting that those policies were largely responsible for the nation's mass incarceration epidemic.
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When asked by "60 Minutes" host Scott Pelley if the costly drug war that has been in place for more than 40 years had been wrong, Botticelli had blunt words for what he called the "failed policies and failed practices" of the past, noting that those policies were largely responsible for the nation's mass incarceration epidemic.
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Obama Administration put a stop to probe of San Bernardino jihadists prior to attack
The Hill has published an absolutely explosive op-ed this morning by Philip Haney, who recently retired from the Department of Homeland Security after basically being forced out of his job. Why? Because he was trying to protect homeland security, specifically by probing and tracking the activities of certain suspected terrorists - including the San Bernardino attackers.
Haney tells a stunning tale of how the Obama Administration not only shut down his efforts, but when he resisted, they investigated him and put him in a position where the best outcome he could get was an early retirement. But apparently they didn't secure his agreement to keep quiet about the incident, because Haney tells the tale this morning in detail that should be front-page news in every media outlet in America:
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